The ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel has officially expired today. The situation is escalating in southern Lebanon at the moment.
According to Lebanese claims, at least one person was killed and 17 others were wounded in Israeli shelling on Saturday, following the expiration of the 60-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Health Ministry stated that Israeli soldiers had used force against residents of several villages in southern Lebanon who were returning to their homes.
Israel’s military was supposed to withdraw from Lebanon by Sunday and Hezbollah was also expected to do the same. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Saturday that Israeli troops would remain in parts of southern Lebanon. Israel accuses Hezbollah and the Lebanese army of not fulfilling their commitments, while Lebanon accuses the Israeli army of hindering the takeover by the Lebanese military.
Hezbollah had already warned of a delayed Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. If the Israeli occupation troops do not withdraw by Sunday, it would be a breach of the agreement on a ceasefire, threatened the Shi’ite group.
The agreement provides for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon within 60 days, after the weapons and fighters of Hezbollah are withdrawn from the area and the Lebanese army takes up its position there.
The Lebanese government has reported more than 470 Israeli violations of the ceasefire, resulting in at least 32 deaths and 39 injuries. The conflict monitoring group ACLED counted more than 400 Israeli air, rocket, artillery and mortar attacks in the entire country since the deal began on January 6. Hezbollah might, according to observers, now have an interest in resuming the fighting to regenerate its damaged reputation after the destruction of its leadership.